[D] Albertonykus borealis ~/~
Describer
Longrich & Currie, 2008
Time
Cretaceous Late Maastrichtian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Tetanurae Coelurosauria Maniraptora Avialae Alvarezsauridae
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada
Info
Forelimb and hindlimb elements from at least two individuals were recovered from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation , Albertosaurus bonebed at Dry Island Provincial Park, along with pedal phalanges from nearby localities.
Phylogenetic analysis shows that Albertonykus is the sister taxon of the Asian clade [Mononykinae], consistent with the hypothesis that the alvarezsaurs originated in South America, and then dispersed to Asia via North America. The discovery of Albertonykus provides important insights into the biology of the Alvarezsauridae. As in other alvarezsaurs, the forelimbs of Albertonykus are specialized for digging, but they are too short to permit burrowing; they were most likely used to dig into insect nests.
Potential prey items are evaluated in light of the fossil record of social insects. Ants were a minor part of the ecosystem during the Cretaceous, and mound-building termites do not appear until the Eocene. This leaves the possibility that Albertonykus preyed on wood-nesting termites. This hypothesis was tested by examining silicified wood from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation. It was found that this wood frequently contains borings, which resemble the galleries of dampwood termites (Termopsidae).
Longrich & Currie, 2008
Time
Cretaceous Late Maastrichtian
Classification
Saurischia Theropoda Tetanurae Coelurosauria Maniraptora Avialae Alvarezsauridae
Diet
Carnivore
Fossilsite
Horseshoe Canyon Formation, Dry Island Buffalo Jump Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada
Info
Forelimb and hindlimb elements from at least two individuals were recovered from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation , Albertosaurus bonebed at Dry Island Provincial Park, along with pedal phalanges from nearby localities.
Phylogenetic analysis shows that Albertonykus is the sister taxon of the Asian clade [Mononykinae], consistent with the hypothesis that the alvarezsaurs originated in South America, and then dispersed to Asia via North America. The discovery of Albertonykus provides important insights into the biology of the Alvarezsauridae. As in other alvarezsaurs, the forelimbs of Albertonykus are specialized for digging, but they are too short to permit burrowing; they were most likely used to dig into insect nests.
Potential prey items are evaluated in light of the fossil record of social insects. Ants were a minor part of the ecosystem during the Cretaceous, and mound-building termites do not appear until the Eocene. This leaves the possibility that Albertonykus preyed on wood-nesting termites. This hypothesis was tested by examining silicified wood from the Horseshoe Canyon Formation. It was found that this wood frequently contains borings, which resemble the galleries of dampwood termites (Termopsidae).